Who will man the right point on the second PP unit

[Herr Hockey 0]

Like many said, Stuart and Ericsson will both get their shot at it. Personally, I think Stuart looked fantastic on the PP when Lidstrom and Rafalski were out in the playoffs.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Centuries ago, two lefties -- Nick and Matt Schneider -- had zero problem running the power play, despite their crippling handicaps. Somehow, in some way, the PP will survive.

[Guest ZetterbergFourty]

Ericsson for two reasons:

1. Shots in excess of 100mph.

2. He beat the snot out of Perry in the second round.

[Wingseroo 0]

I can answer to that, it's extremely difficult, either you're left or right shooter, you can't be in between there's always one way thats ALOT more comfortable... so you can just dream about ericsson with a right hand shot

I have never figured that one out in hockey... They tend to train young players to be left handed shots, most should be naturally righty shots... Most of us are right handed... Go outside pickup a baseball bat, a shovel, a rake, whatever 2h tool you want... 90% of us are right handed and at least 80% of us will do it this way... Not hockey though...

[titanium2 867]

This thread should have a poll.

[eva unit zero 271]

Yet another reason the Wings need Hudler back. Hudler ran the right point for a couple years in Grand Rapids and it was SICK.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Horrible idea at the NHL level, he gets beat and the other team are off to the races on a breakaway. Just let it be defenceman, Stuart and Ericsson can do it, give them opportunitys at camp and see who does the best.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Horrible idea at the NHL level, he gets beat and the other team are off to the races on a breakaway. Just let it be defenceman, Stuart and Ericsson can do it, give them opportunitys at camp and see who does the best.

You mean like Samuelsson did at least once a power play? f*** that drove me crazy. I'm not a fan of forwards on the point during a PP.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

You mean like Samuelsson did at least once a power play? f*** that drove me crazy. I'm not a fan of forwards on the point during a PP.

Exactly, Sammy is marginally faster and better defensively then Hudleer, marginally, and he still looked like a moron more often then not. Defenceman man the points, thats how it's always been.

[55fan 5,133]

Here's the reason why there is suddenly a ton of left handed shots in the NHL:

Traditionally the dominant hand was used on the lower half of the stick-- this was done to maximize shot power. Because the majority of the public is right handed this meant most NHL players shot from the right.

In Europe, players started using their dominant hand at the top of the stick-- this was to maximize their stick-handling and control. This meant that the people who wrote with their right hand would have their left hand lowest on the stick and thus would be using a left handed stick. Over time this practice became popular in the NHL since stick-handling and control is more important than power 9 times out of 10.

So there you go- now most players are shooting left even though they write with their right hand.

Stick handling and shooting is such a long term developed skill I just don't see switching hands as something an NHL player could do without extensive retraining.

Edit: (Torry) Spelling

Thanks, Drake. I can always count on you for good info.

(Thanks to you, too Under Par )

I guess we can look on the bright side that we have 2 viable options in E and Stuie, even if they shoot left.

Oh, and mindfly- I already dream of Ericsson.

[Rikadyn 16]

[Gutierrez 7]

It all depends how you grow up playing hockey, if you are more comfortable with a right handed shot or left. I am also left handed and shoot right in hockey, but when I was young and first started playing, I had to use a straight stick because I couldn't make up my mind about which way was more comfortable. After a year or two I decided I was a right handed shot. I can also use scissors and a knife with both hands. If you are asking how hard it would be for a left shot to switch to a right shot, then it would be very difficult and take a long time to get used to.

It is actually more comfortable for me to use a knife with my right hand, and I can just leave my fork in my left as usual, it makes for more efficient eating when you can cut and maneuver a fork at the same time!

I'm similar in that I use a knife in my left hand and the fork in my right, and that I'm right handed but shoot left hockey, bat left in baseball but throw right, etc.

[CenterIce 83]

I can answer to that, it's extremely difficult, either you're left or right shooter, you can't be in between there's always one way thats ALOT more comfortable... so you can just dream about ericsson with a right hand shot

Gordie Howe did it on the fly, before the curves were implemented.

[Guest mindfly]

Gordie is mr.hockey, nough said

[datsyukonethree 0]

Thankfully not Mikael Samuelsson.

[CenterIce 83]

This thread should have a poll.

Ask, and you shall receive.

[CenterIce 83]

Gordie is mr.hockey, nough said

I'm just saying. Just takes some practice. Just like baseball switch hitters, etc.

[titanium2 867]

Ask, and you shall receive.

Good work.

Actually though, I think the answer is painfully obvious as to who we'll vote for. It's Ericsson. The whole 100 mph thing and the fact that he's just the shinier option because we've heard so much hype about him means that Stuart will take a backseat in our minds.

[Superman54 91]

Give it to Stewie. He produces well for the amount of PP time he gets.

[CenterIce 83]

Good work.

Actually though, I think the answer is painfully obvious as to who we'll vote for. It's Ericsson. The whole 100 mph thing and the fact that he's just the shinier option because we've heard so much hype about him means that Stuart will take a backseat in our minds.

My feeling is have Ericsson do it, giving him more offensive opportunities, and save Stuart for the PK. Lidstom/Rafalski and Kronwall/Ericsson on PP and Lidstrom/Lilja (if healthy) and Kronwall/Stuart on PK.

Edited July 11, 2009 by CenterIce

[Probie 7]

If a guy is shooting left when hes suppose to be a right handed shot on the powerplay its hard to get one timers off straight off a pass. Whoever is a lefty suppose to be righty on this years power play will not look nearly as good as they would if they were shooting the correct way, and the other team can adjust their penalty kill to exploit it to a degree.

The only right handed Dman that could even possibly man the powerplay that is in our system is max Nicastro, and hes not a top top prospect but he may pan out. I'm thrilled with our picks in this years draft, but I was wishing we could have drafted a right handed Dman somewhere in the first 2 rounds. A guy I liked that could have filled that Bill was Charles Rousell. 6'1 200 pounds, will be 215 by the time he enters the leauge, he was still growing in his draft year. He is good in all aspects of the game and is quite physical, plus hes a righty, and plays well on the powerplay.

Edited July 12, 2009 by Probie

[Icesurfer 75]

Ericsson ... the kid's got a good shot and is responsible defensively.

[Herr Hockey 0]

Nothing against Ericsson, but I'd rather see someone back there with experience like Stuart...I'm pretty certain a Kronner/Stewie combo on the 2nd pp would do fine.

I agree. I think it needs to be Kronwall and Stuart most of the time, with Ericsson subbing in for each of them once in a while. Ericsson will one day be depended on to quarterback the PP, so he will need some practice. As for now however, I think Stuart is more suited to succeed on the PP. I think Ericsson's shot is slightly overrated, as was his play in general during the final 2 rounds of the playoffs. An 82 game season in the NHL is going to do wonders for the kid though. He's already shown that he can play top 4 minutes for a brief period of time, and he's barely played at all. Back to his shot though, it seems he rarely used it to his full potential. Whether this had to do with the injury he battled in the winter is yet to be seen. I just think he had a tendency to give a half-ass wind up trying to rush his shot too much. He also seemed to have trouble hitting the net, much like Kronwall. More playing time should make him more confident about his surroundings, and maybe we'll actually see that 100mph shot that people like to boast about so much.

Edited July 12, 2009 by Herr Hockey

[eva unit zero 271]

Exactly, Sammy is marginally faster and better defensively then Hudleer, marginally, and he still looked like a moron more often then not. Defenceman man the points, thats how it's always been.

The big difference is that Hudler with a broken arm is still a better puckhandler than Sammy and would have better ice vision than Sammy even if he were blindfolded. Those are two KEY elements of manning the point. The reason Sammy and Williams were such failures is that despite their shots, which Hudler equals, they were not nearly the puckhandler Huds is nor did they have the hockey sense. They also were nowhere near the playmaker Hudler is. It's worth a try at very least; Hudler is the only forward who is worth trying on the point who is on the roster, assuming he returns.

[robb himself 143]

2nd PP Unit

Franzen, Filppula, Cleary (or Leino)

Kronwall, Ericsson ( absolute BOOMER of a shot )